‘Monster’ Inoue set to enter World Boxing Super Series with Ryan Burnett
Belfast’s Ryan Burnett [19(9)-0] is set to enter the World Boxing Super Series at bantamweight this Autumn and is likely to have at least one of the other top fighters at the weight accompanying him.
The WBA champion’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, had previously stated ahead of the successful defence versus Yonfrez Parejo that Burnett will enter the second season of the big-money single-elimination eight-man tournament.
Organised by Kalle Sauerland and financially backed by the Comosa Group, the maiden season of the competition is currently ongoing at super middleweight and cruiserweight. A $50,000,000 prize pool is being split among the 16 participants and the finals will take place at to-be-confirmed dates and locations this Summer, with WBA 168lbs champ George Groves defending his belt v Callum Smith while all four cruiser belts will come together when Oleksandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev face-off.
The weights for the next tournament haven’t been confirmed yet but it has widely been reported that bantamweight and light welterweight will be the two classes involved and it has been indicated that Burnett may fight in the quarter-finals in Belfast this September or October.
While Frank Warren, promoter of Burnett rival Zolani Tete, has expressed his reluctance to engage in the tournament, one of the other huge names at the weight is set to partake.
Japanese star Naoya Inoue [15(13)-0] has revealed he has received a preliminary offer to which he has responded positively.
The two-weight world champion has moved up to bantamweight and will fight at 118lbs for the first time in Tokyo on Friday May 25th where he will aim to dethrone WBA ‘regular’ belt-holder Jamie McDonnell [29(13)-2(0)-1]. Should he, as he is hugely favoured to, come through this bout, ‘Monster’ Inoue will be set to enter the WBSS.
In an interview with Yahoo Japan, Inoue confirmed that he had received a conditional offer to enter the second season of the WBSS – the condition being that he defeats McDonnell. The 25-year-old intends to accept this offer.
With Inoue likely to soon hold a secondary WBA belt he will essentially become Burnett’s ‘mandatory’, with the organisation looking to eliminate their hugely-criticised ‘regular’ trinkets. This could lead to a situation, like with Murat Gassiev and his former mandatory Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, where an opening round meeting between the two is organised before the big draft gala.
However, such is the stature of the two names, it seems likelier that both are seeded and kept away from each other in the quarters.
In terms of other names, the division is currently somewhat in a state of flux. With two mandatories pending, Burnett was forced to choose between his two belts and vacated the IBF title. The WBC belt also went vacant, with champion Luis Nery widely missing weight for his rematch with Shinsuke Yamanaka and being stripped of the belt ahead of the two-round destruction.
Mandatory Emmanuel Rodriguez [17(12)-0] of Puerto Rico fights Burnett’s Matchroom stablemate Paul Butler [26(14)-1(1)] for the IBF belt on May 5th while WBC mandatory Nordine Oubaali [14(11)-0] of France boxes Thai fighter Tassana Sanpattan [46(31)-0] at some stage this Summer for the green belt.
It is hoped that the winners of these two bouts will also feature in the WBSS. Other big names in the division include Venezuelan Liborio Solis [25(11)-5(0)-1], Aussie Jason Moloney [16(13)-0] – who faces Japanese veteran Kohei Kono [33(14)-11(1)-1], and Dominican Juan Carlos Payano [20(9)-1(0)]..
